Business Type
Software, Career Tools
Backstory
Getting hired without a referral is almost impossible these days. Many applicants cold-apply anyway, because securing and managing referrals sucks. ReferLink automates the job referral process, enabling job hunters to accelerate their process and avoid the awkwardness of traditional referrals.
My Role
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Built the ReferLink brand from scratch
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Established a go-to-market strategy for the product
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Designed a clean and simple landing page
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Engaged early adopters via email marketing
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Leveraged ReferLink founder's network to stimulate organic growth
Approach
I worked directly with ReferLink's founder to identify high-leverage organic growth channels for his product. Asking important questions like "Where are job seekers already spending time?" and "Who do job seekers trust?", I developed an effective and economical go-to-market strategy for ReferLink which included:
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A beta launch and ambassador program for college students at his alma mater
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An official launch powered by ProductHunt
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Strategic use of private, industry-specific Slack communities.
Results
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Grew ReferLink from zero to hundreds of users with $0 ad spend
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Established ReferLink as the go-to referral automation platform at a large university
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Top 10 Product Hunt launch
Recognizing that the target customer for ReferLink was young and in search of a tech job, I chose language that would be familiar to digital natives. "Job referrals on easy mode" conveys a feeling of nostalgia and simplicity to anyone who grew up playing video games, and helped establish ReferLink as a trusted brand in the minds of prospective users.
In order to create a compelling demo video, I had to effectively capture the essence of the UX from both the job seeker and referrer perspectives. To accomplish this, I curated key moments from both user journeys and highlighted the most intuitive elements of the UX.
To penetrate college campuses, I generated a database of leads from pre-professional student orgs. I crafted a personal-feeling email template for ReferLink's founder to send, then created the succinct and compelling slide deck above for him to present to club leaders.
Product Hunt has a vibrant community, and many of its members are open to or searching for new work. With over a million users, however, it can be a challenge to get the attention you need when launching a product. I carefully researched launch-timing tactics, created engaging visuals, and wrote relatable copy for Alex (founder) and Bora (engineer) to post. I was able to secure a top 10 spot on the leaderboards that day, generating hundreds of new signups and thousands of impressions.